The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend
by shadowcat012
Summary: This didn't happen over night. Oh no. These ninja were crafty. Here are remnants from throughout the years showcasing how the ninjas stole my best friend. xx OC Centric xx Rated T for later chapters.
1. Prologue

**Title**: The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend  
><strong>Fandom<strong>: 3 Ninjas  
><strong>Chapter Rating<strong>: K  
><strong>Author's Introduction<strong>: All it took was reading one post on tumblr to take me back to my early childhood of watching The 3 Ninjas. This story is a result of my sudden obsession for an old favorite. It's going to be short, though. I have it written out in nine pieces. So, if you like, take this journey with my OC Natalie as she meets Rocky, Colt, and Tum Tum and watches as her best friend gets caught up in their lives.  
><strong>Summary<strong>: Remnants from throughout the years showcasing how the ninjas stole my best friend.  
><strong>Age<strong>: 7 yrs

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><p><strong>The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend<strong>

**Prologue**

I leaned back on the swing set so that the tips of my hair dragged along the earth and blood rushed to my head.

"Hey, Ash?" I called.

The chains groaned and soon there was another head swaying back and forth alongside mine, golden strands of silken hair dragging along the dried soil.

"Hi, Nat," She giggled, her swing going considerably faster than mine.

"Why are we friends?"

A thoughtful silence filled the air before the squeal of iron pierced my eardrums and a moment later a pair of delicate hands grabbed hold of my ankles. Sitting up in my seat, I stared at Ashley expectantly.

"We're not." She voiced solemnly.

It could have been the amount of blood already in my head, but her words left me feeling lightheaded, dizzy, and sick.

"We're…not?"

She shook her head from side to side; the movement dislodging a few leaves that had caught in her hair. She then stared at me with the sweetest smile I had ever seen in my short existence.

"We're _best_ friends. We're going to get married on the same day and live next to each other when we're old ladies. Because I said so."

Relief bubbled in my chest and I laughed.

"If you say so," I sighed dramatically. She pushed my ankles away and I used the momentum to start swinging once again. I was going to reach the sky that afternoon.


	2. Dare

**Title**: The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend  
><strong>Fandom<strong>: 3 Ninjas  
><strong>Rating<strong>: K+ for mild reference of violence  
><strong>Summary<strong>: Remnants from throughout the years showcasing how the ninjas stole my best friend.  
><strong>Age<strong>: 11 yrs

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><p><strong>The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend<strong>

**Chapter One: Dare**

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><p>"He's cute."<p>

I choked on my juice. My nose burned as the liquid came back up through my nostrils.

"Who is?" Another girl asked. I couldn't tell right away who it was, I was too busy wiping the unexpected tears from my eyes, the liquid from my nose, and trying to breathe.

"Natalie, are you okay?"

Ashley's hand was on my shoulder but I merely shrugged it off and nodded blindly.

"Come on, Ash, don't leave us in the dark here!" It was Sarah Laurence. I would have rolled my eyes in annoyance if I could.

I looked back up at my friend – my only friend considering the group of girls we were currently standing with – and caught sight of the rosy flush crossing her peach-curved cheeks. My stomach plummeted.

"He's just over there," She nodded in one direction before quickly turning away and hugging a spiral notebook close to her chest.

As one, we looked in the direction she had indicated and located the populated basketball court just across the school yard.

"Don't be a tease!" Sarah voiced, shoving Ashley's arm. "There's a whole group of boys over there; which one are you talking about?"

"Does it matter?" I questioned scornfully, finally wiping the last of the tears away with the sleeve of my sweater.

One of the girls gasped suddenly before clinging onto Ashley's side –shoving me out of the way.

"It's Samuel Douglass, isn't it?" She whispered excitedly.

Ashley's silence said it all.

"You _have _to go talk to him." Sarah declared. She then crossed her arms as if the action would make it so.

"No!" Ashley gasped, dropping her hands to her sides and gaping at Sarah in horror.

"You've talked to boys before haven't you?" Sarah challenged with raised brows.

"Yes." Ashley very nearly pouted.

"Natalie doesn't count, you know." Another girl stated while giving me a dirty look.

"Shut up, Jasmine!" I snapped.

"You're going." Sarah repeated.

Crossing her arms, Ashley stood firm. "No, I'm not. I was just saying…!"

"You're going because I dare you to go!"

Suddenly everyone was pushing her towards the blacktop. A mass of yammering junior high girls left me by the picnic tables to crowd beside the basketball court.

Hands on my hips, I silently watched as my friend started up a conversation with Samuel Douglass, older brother to Jeffrey Douglass and one of the cutest boys at our school. He smiled shyly at her and ducked his head.

I crossed my arms and looked away with a huff. Too bad no one told me that once a girl crosses that line into talking to guys she actually likes…she never goes back to who she once was. I would have punched Sarah in the face and dragged Ashley out of there had I known.

They shook hands, both wearing ridiculous smiles. Then he motioned the basketball he held between his hands in her direction and ran back into the game.


	3. Indifference

**Title**: The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend  
><strong>Fandom<strong>: 3 Ninjas  
><strong>Rating<strong>: T  
><strong>Summary<strong>: Remnants from throughout the years showcasing how the ninjas stole my best friend.  
><strong>Age<strong>: 13 yrs

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><p><strong>The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend<strong>

**Chapter Two: Indifference**

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><p>The baseball field was in chaos.<p>

Blue uniforms tangled with orange and coaches and parents joined in the mix, scolding, intervening, but ultimately outnumbered.

Swiftly hopping off of my bike, I let it roll into the ground so that I could run forward and clasp onto the iron linked fence. I peered at the mob in search of a familiar face and found her. She was a little taller, a bit slimmer, but the same line of freckles peppered across her cheeks and nose. This contrasted with the fierceness that shined in her eyes as she pulled a tall baseman off of a younger player clad in orange.

The boy brushed her off, intent on getting back to wrestling with the other player, but she pushed him back with her whole body, curses flying from her lips. Quick on my feet, I ran to the nearest gate opening and onto the field towards her. The tall baseman swiped the blue cap from his head and threw it to the ground but that was as far as he got before my body rammed into his.

He stumbled sideways, but didn't fall; so I wrapped my arms about his waist and used the momentum I had to swing him around and throw us both to the ground. When I ended up on my back with the sun spit firing rays into my eyes and the boy's cleats scraping against my bare calves, I began to rethink my rash behavior.

"That's my brother!" A little girl screamed before sand was kicked into my eyes.

Crying out in surprise, I viciously kicked the boy's legs from mine, being sure to use extra force in retaliation to his sister's temporarily blinding me. Anger sparked, I swore I was going to kick some serious butt!

* * *

><p>"What are you even doing here?" Ashley demanded as she placed a cold soda can into my open palm.<p>

"I finished cleaning out Mrs. Barinski's garage early and wanted to see what the big fuss was about. If every game is like this-I think I'll start coming over more often." Lifting the can to my bottom lip, I tried my best not to recoil from the burning sting. Seemingly without concern, Ashley pushed my hand closer to my mouth so that the cold aluminum of the can pressed fully against my cut lip.

"This doesn't happen every game; how could you say that? Everyone was scolded by the umpire like little children!"

I shrugged and pulled the can from my face. "Most of us _are_ little children."

"Well I'm not," She huffed before sitting down on the ice chest and dropping her chin onto her palm.

Hearing a somewhat similar quarrel nearby, both our gazes flew to the back of a station wagon down the parking lot. Rocky, Colt, and Tum Tum (the reasons Ash came to these games) argued amongst themselves as their father packed their equipment into the back of their vehicle.

I glanced back at Ashley only to see she had quickly ducked her head to glower at the ground.

"You didn't say hi to Rocky?" I voiced before placing the can back against my lip.

Her lips puckered instantly before her hands lifted the cap from her head, flipped it backwards, and slid it back down over her golden hair.

Sighing around the aluminum, I asked; "What happened?"

"Nothing."

We fell silent then. She struggled to find words to express what the matter was. I simply waited; my eyes wandering to the different families walking from the field to the parking lot. I caught sight of a young girl in pigtails sticking her little pink tongue in my direction and scrunched my face in confusion.

"Lisa DiMarino…" Ashley ground out the name while digging the heel of her shoe into the dirt.

"What about her?"

"She-!" Ashley tossed a glare in the direction of the field before ducking her head again. "Rocky likes her."

"That skank," I joked.

"Come on," Ashley huffed in attempt to hide her chuckle. "She distracted Rocky from a solid pitch that started the domino effect leading to the huge fight!"

"Really?" That genuinely surprised me. "From all your stories of them I would have thought Colt was the reason the fight broke out."

"What does it matter who started the fight?"

"What does it matter if Rocky likes Lisa DiMarino?"

Exhaling loudly, Ashley buried her face in her hands and stayed like that as she spoke. "He didn't even care, Nat. I fought on his side today and he barely even noticed. It shouldn't bother me so much but it does."

Unsure of what to say or really do, I simply placed an arm across her back and patted her shoulder. "He'll notice Ash. One day…"

The words sounded lame to my ears but she seemed consoled by them.

That's the code of girls isn't it? Cover up the cracks made from boys' indifference with the promises of things you can't really control.


	4. Chance

**Title**: The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend  
><strong>Fandom<strong>: 3 Ninjas  
><strong>Rating<strong>: T  
><strong>AN**: I hope everyone who is reading this is enjoying the story. If it is not quite your cup of tea, there are no hard feelings. Some feedback would be greatly appreciated.  
><strong>Summary<strong>: Remnants from throughout the years showcasing how the ninjas stole my best friend.  
><strong>Age<strong>: 17 yrs

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><p><strong>The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend<strong>

**Chapter Three: Chance**

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><p>"You're right. Of course you're right. You're the logical Natalie who is <em>never<em> wrong!"

"Well it's certainly better than being narcissistic Ashley who isn't satisfied until she's in the company of two brothers who are both just _vying_ for her attention! _Someone_ has to have a level head in this friendship."

"Oh _please_! You _so_ do not have a level head. You're so full of jealousy for what I have with those guys you're green in the face!"

"That's just your head being inflated with hot air!"

"Oh is it? Because I've noticed we have this same dispute _every time_ you catch me spending time with them. So what is it, Natalie, do you like them or something? Is that why you're being such a bitch?"

I stared at her from across the kitchen and wondered who the hell this girl was. This wasn't the Ashley I'd spent eleven birthdays with or the one I trusted to always have my back. I grabbed a pink cupcake from the batch my mother had made for her and threw it across the room so that it splattered across the white oven top.

Without hesitating to witness a reaction, I spun towards the kitchen door and stormed from the house. I was halfway down the drive, whipping the ridiculous bow from my hair when I remembered I'd left my keys on the kitchen counter. I stood, torn between my anger that demanded I keep up the storm and…my _logic_ that insisted I needed to get the keys because no one was going to be at home to let me through the front door.

Cursing, I spun on my heel to head back towards the house. I took three steps before a set of arms gripped me suddenly from behind, shoving a wet cloth over my mouth. I struggled in panic, getting in a few hits on my assailant before my limbs quickly grew heavy and my vision became dark.

My last sight was of Ashley's home lit like a beacon in the dark; and no one was there to save me.

* * *

><p>"<em>Who the hell is this? You're bringing me random girls off of the street?"<em>

"_No, boss; she's the girl from the address you gave us."_

"_This isn't the girl you morons! Does she look anything like the girl in the photograph?"_

"…_No…"_

"_Get her out of here; tie her up in the basement so I can figure out how to fix this mess."_

* * *

><p>My hands tingled.<p>

Cold fingers brushed over my wrists. I felt the ache in my knees and the burning throb in my temples.

"You're gonna be okay, we're gonna get you out of here." A voice breathed warmly against my ear. It was familiar, but I couldn't put a face or name to the owner.

The weight on my hands eased and I felt myself falling forward. I tried to move to catch myself, but lucky me there was more than one rescuer and another set of arms caught me.

"The drug…" was very powerful. I sank into the body heat of the one who caught me and blacked out again.

* * *

><p>When I next awoke, my mother was standing over me with tears in her eyes. She quickly pulled me into an embrace. The rest of my family packed into the hospital room and took their turns doing much the same. Then I saw Ashley and her parents standing out in the hall.<p>

Later, when the police asked if I'd remembered anything, I could only say one thing. "They meant to take Ashley."


	5. Obsession

**Title**: The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend  
><strong>Fandom<strong>: 3 Ninjas  
><strong>Rating<strong>: T

**A/N**: I know this story isn't as popular as most, but I figure popularity isn't the goal when it comes to writing. I'll continue updating this because I enjoyed writing the pieces and I'd like to believe that those who give this a chance find some enjoyment while reading it. Happy reading everyone! **Update: **I would like to give credit to my good friend Melissa who worked with me as I rewrote this piece over and over and over again. Without her help, I don't believe this would have come out half as interesting as it did.

**Summary**: Remnants from throughout the years showcasing how the ninjas stole my best friend.  
><strong><br>Age**: 17

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><p><strong>The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend<strong>

**Chapter Four: Obsession**

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><p>"You're right."<p>

My breath momentarily caught in my throat as I stared at Samuel (or Rocky as Ash insisted on correcting), who sat on top of a picnic table before me.

Exhaling loudly, I crossed my arms and switched my weight over to my right leg.

"What?" I snapped.

He gazed up at me steadily, his voice uncompromising.

"My brothers and I do get involved in dangerous situations and sometimes Ash's friendship with us exposes her to those dangers."

I could only stare at him.

"You just repeated _everything_ I just said to you!" I accused once I'd found my voice.

He upturned his palms and gave a lazy shrug. "It's the truth."

"I know that. It's why I was yelling at you!" This, in turn, was why I had pulled him to a secluded area of the city park.

"Look, it's not like we force her to come with us; she wants to help. And she's great at it. We do help people, you know."

"I know," I growled. The fact that he and his brothers had been the ones to rescue me three weeks earlier didn't need to be said out loud. It already hung over my head like a dark shadow.

"But I don't want you to tell me I'm right. I want you to tell me I'm _wrong_. That the whole kidnapping situation was a fluke and that she's not in danger of getting killed! Those kidnappers could just as easily have snagged her. They were there _for her_."

Rocky breathed in quickly and his silence lasted longer than I would have liked.

Frustrated, I kicked the dirt at my feet. The autumn wind blew it back in my face.

"She won't be in that kind of danger. My brothers and I won't let that happen." Not wanting to, I turned slowly back towards him and unwillingly caught his gaze. He leaned forward, his stern eyes glinting in the afternoon sunshine. "I won't let anything like that happen to her."

My brow creased as I judged his sincerity.

Over the years, I'd bared witness to Rocky's uncanny ability of reducing females to silence with either a charming word or disarming smile. This was neither. This was a solemn promise of safety.

To me.

For someone else.

Sighing, I stepped onto the table and sat down beside him so that we both faced the wind. Planting my elbows on my knees, I rested my chin into my palm and let my fingers worry over my mouth.

"And don't you think I've had this conversation with Ash a dozen times before?" Oh, goodness, he wasn't done yet. "My brothers and I are trained; we can take care of ourselves. But she…"

Turning my head in my palm, I saw his gaze had drifted off into the distance somewhere.

"She refuses to play it safe when it's someone else's safety on the line. It's admirable."

Detecting the adoration in his voice, I had the urge to scoff and say: 'If you like her so much, why don't you just marry her?'

But I realized he probably would one day and decided that I really did not want to think about _that_.

My anger dissipated, I exhaled tiredly. "This thing between all of you goes both ways, doesn't it?"

Slowly, his attention returned to me, though he refrained from responding. I elaborated.

"I've tried. There's just no pulling that girl away from you guys. I used to think that whatever she had for you was borderline obsession. But it's not, is it. You guys are just as crazy about her as she is about you."

"She's a good friend."

"She's the best." I corrected with a bitter smile. I then shook my head and laughed quietly. "Damn, I so _badly_ wanted this to be an epic argument I could win in the end."

There was a pause before Rocky responded, his voice light and almost playful. "In that case, I can gladly point you in Colt's direction."

I smirked at the offer, but suddenly found that I couldn't look back at him. I could see his smiling face in my mind's eye and my eyes inexplicably began to water.


	6. Inevitable

**Title**: The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend  
><strong>Fandom<strong>: 3 Ninjas  
><strong>Rating<strong>: T  
><strong>AN**: Happy New Year to all! May 2012 bring you happiness. :)  
><strong>Summary<strong>: Remnants from throughout the years showcasing how the ninjas stole my best friend.  
><strong>Age<strong>: 20

* * *

><p><strong>The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend<strong>

**Chapter Five: Inevitable**

* * *

><p>Brushing the lead smoothly over the paper one final time, I leaned back in my chair and observed the sketch. An untamed spirit shone unmistakably from the dark irises my hand had crafted.<p>

After tracing my thumb lightly across my lip, I bolted forward and used the same thumb to spread the excess of lead from the sweeping bangs over the forehead. I was never great at creating shadows in a drawing, but this sketch was an exception.

"Natalie!" There was a quick rap on my door before the handle turned and Ashley stepped inside. Tossing the pencil across the desk, I flipped the paper over and leaned back in my chair with my hands folded on my crossed legs and an expectant expression on my face. "Come on, flight leaves in an hour!"

I took in a breath and looked around my room nervously.

Ashley's purse fell down her shoulder to her hand as she surveyed my silence and the state of my habitat. She then turned her gaze on me, her expression none too pleased.

"You didn't pack?" She demanded, her exasperation overshadowed by her frustration.

"I did too!" I snapped in defense before jumping out of my seat and ushering her back towards the door. "Here's some money, why don't you go down to the vending and get us some snacks for the flight?"

"Why don't we just go down together if you're already packed?" She inquired dryly while turning to face me.

Grabbing onto the door, I smiled winningly at her. "Just need five minutes."

* * *

><p>Six hours later I was standing in the aisle of an airline pulling out my red duffel bag from the overhead compartment.<p>

"It's good to be home, isn't it?" Ashley questioned from beside me. She slipped the novel she'd been reading the last leg of the flight into her shoulder bag and began to work on pulling back her long hair into a pony tail.

Slinging my duffel across my shoulders, I tightened my own dark pony tail and started waddling sideways down the aisle.

"When the sun hits my skin and I breathe in fresh air it will be."

We began to grow excited with the promises both our mothers made for a home cooked meal that evening. Ashley had the promise of freshly baked lasagna she couldn't wait to sink her teeth into. My mother had opted to keep my dinner a surprise which I did not mind one bit. She knew all of my favorites-she's mom.

As we exited the terminal and walked through the gate, we were both greeted with an unexpected surprise.

"Ashley!" Three male voices chorused from the crowd of expectant drivers.

Gasping in excitement, Ashley grabbed onto my hand and pulled me towards the crowd before releasing her hold and jumping into the strong arms of a young man known to the general public as Samuel Douglass. To Ash though, he would always be Rocky.

"I've missed you guys so much!" She exclaimed before finally stepping away from the eldest brother and hugging a taller, lither version of the Colt I had last seen nearly two years previously. With his usual long hair cropped short, though, I almost didn't recognize him.

"What, you couldn't find a similar trio over at college?" With wide shoulders, a deep voice, and a height towering over mine, Tum Tum's growth was the most surprising.

"Never!" Ash gushed as she hurried to hug the youngest brother as well. "You guys remember Natalie," Ashley smiled in my direction and I quickly returned one in hers.

The guys nodded in acknowledgement but it was Tum who stepped forward asking to take my duffel from me. Breathing in relief that the trip home held promise to not be awkward, I accepted his offer and followed the group out to their truck in the parking lot.

Both Rocky and Colt insisted that Ashley ride in the front; then both Colt and Tum Tum argued over who got to sit in front with her.

"I'm still older than you, dork." Colt ended the dispute and jumped into the front passenger seat.

"You're always going to be older, moron." Tum Tum grumbled before opening the rear door behind the passenger seat.

Rocky and Ash stood by the bed of the truck talking quietly as I opened the rear driver door and hopped in. As I focused on situating myself in the seat, I tried to ignore the sudden silence in the truck.

"Uhm," Tum Tum spoke up, catching my attention. He glanced down at a sheet of paper in his hands before sticking it out to hand towards me. "This fell out of your bag."

Taking the sheet, I ignored the flutter of embarrassment upon seeing the rebellious orbs I'd drawn during the flight.

"Thanks," I smiled before folding it into tiny squares and slipping it into my pocket.

"You're not going to finish it?" Colt questioned. He was turned in his seat, staring at me as if I were acting odd.

"No," I confirmed before shrugging. "I can't. The rest of the face won't come to me."

His eyebrows lowered in confusion while Tum Tum asked if I drew often.

"No…" My legs began to shake but my smile remained. "Just the eyes. They're all I ever get right."

"You know that's a bit weird, right?" Colt questioned.

A hooded sweater flying into his face saved me the trouble of responding.

"Move over, Colt," Ash ordered as she climbed through the driver's side. "You can't take up the whole front seat."

"Yeah, yeah," He replied, throwing the material back in her face as she sat next to him.

"So what are we talking about?" Ash questioned as she buckled herself in.

"Nothing, really," I answered automatically.

"Bor-ing!" She declared while slapping her hands down on her legs. Rocky climbed behind the steering wheel, shut the door, and switched on the ignition. "Tum! How's school? You're a senior now, right?"

Leaning back into the material of the headrest, I observed as the four of them fell into a familial activity of catching up, poking fun, and reminiscing. The relationship I had envied since the playground days: Ashley and her three ninjas; hadn't ceased to warm me and leave me cold at the same time.

I could feel the clock ticking down to the day that the ninjas will have taken her completely.

Ashley rested her head on Rocky's shoulder, her attention on Colt and Tum Tum as they fought to tell different versions of the same occurrence that had happened earlier in the week. A dark shadow momentarily crossed over Colt's green eyes when Ash turned to say something to Rocky.

He may have felt the clock ticking down to something else.


	7. Reflection

**Title**: The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend  
><strong>Fandom<strong>: 3 Ninjas  
><strong>Rating<strong>: T  
><strong>AN**: This piece wasn't originally apart of my layout for the story. After reading the fanfiction 'Survive and Escape' by M.L. Shards, I was inspired to try my hand at a darker scenario. Hopefully I didn't go overboard or get carried away. :)  
><strong>Summary<strong>: Remnants from throughout the years showcasing how the ninjas stole my best friend.  
><strong>Age<strong>: 23

* * *

><p><strong>The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend<strong>

**Chapter Six: Reflection**

* * *

><p>Several tables in the joint clapped politely as the music faded from the speakers. What mattered to me was the one table front and center that seated four young women who jeered loudly and lifted their glasses in salute.<p>

With a stupid smile on my face, I hopped down from the small stage and hugged my friends before heading for the bar with an empty pitcher in hand. Somewhere between the challenging classes, nagging family, endless job search, and bills hanging over my head, karaoke night with the girls had turned into the highlight of my months. And tonight, especially, it sure beat staying in my dorm room alone not doing my assignments, crying and wondering what went wrong in my latest failed romance.

"Excuse me, good sir!" I called out jauntily to the man behind the bar. When he turned an unamused gaze towards me, I lifted the empty pitcher in signal. He nodded then returned to finish taking care of a pair of pretty, petite, young things. Dropping the plastic container onto the bar top, I crossed my arms on the counter and hummed loudly.

"You must be drunk." A voice commented at my side.

I jerked my head immediately to the source and felt my brain reel at the coincidence.

"You must be sober." I responded within a reasonable beat. "We don't meet much, but it sure is nice to see you when we do."

His hair was reasonably shorter, cropped close to the skull but still long enough on the top to sweep across his forehead. And, his face was slimmer; a frown now seemed permanently pressed on his lips and creased in his brow, but it only drew the attention more to the eyes. This was almost frustrating, because in that moment they were downcast and turned away from me. He continued to nurse the one drink before him without acknowledging that I'd spoken. It made me wonder why he'd even bothered alerting me to his presence in the first place.

The bartender reached forward and snatched the pitcher without a word. I eyed the elder man then, wondering if I was just being paranoid or if the male species really _did_ have a problem with me.

"So, do you go by Jeffrey now, or is it still Colt?" I broached conversationally.

His chest rose as he sighed heavily. "It's Colt to a few." Then, as if it pained him to do so, he tilted his head in my direction. "Girls night?"

"Spur of the moment," I agreed with a smile before nodding to his drink. "Lone reflection?"

His eyebrows lowered and he turned back to the glass in his hands. "Long overdue."

The microphone wined in protest then, sending a high-pitched wail through the building. It was quickly fixed and soon the sound of a happily strumming guitar took over along with a familiar and intoxicated voice.

"Natalie! You get your butt up here and away from that boy!" Jordan Miller, big, blonde, and short, held the microphone close to her mouth and pointed her finger accusingly in my direction.

Undeterred, I called back: "Do you want your beer or not, woman?"

She missed the first few lyrics to her song as she took the time to respond with: "I do want it. I love you!"

"Sing the damn song!" Alejandra Galvan, tall, curvaceous, and one hundred percent Latina, slammed her hands onto the table top in demonstration of her impatience for Jordan's and my two-talk.

Chuckling to myself, I turned back towards the bar just in time to see the bartender slide a full pitcher in front of me. Still choosing to not be rude, I fully intended to bid some form of farewell to Colt before leaving. But a glance to my side proved he had taken his drink and slinked off to some other area of the bar.

I added hurt feelings to the list that already contained: a bit buzzed and brokenhearted. Grabbing hold of the container, I sped back towards the table where people who actually enjoyed my company sat.

In between songs, I reflected on the very brief exchange between Colt and me. The question had been there, somewhere on his face I couldn't be sure where. He wanted to know where Ashley was but had decided not to ask. This was a small distraction, but one that occupied my mind until I returned to my room by myself.

Ashley and I had practically been joined at the hip for life. The only time I ever ran into Colt or either of his brothers had been through Ash's wish and _with_ her. I guess a lot of things changed when we both transferred to separate schools.

Tossing my jacket on the desk chair, I sank down into the mattress of my twin bed and began the slow process of pulling off my boots. Once I was down to my socks, I pushed myself back up and crossed over to stand before my sink. My hands gripped the ceramic edges as I studied my reflection, hoping that the dark irises would tell me something I could not quite piece together yet.

I saw red where white should be and suddenly there was an expression I was unaccustomed to seeing on my own face. Fear. Sadness. Pain. Brokenness. I turned away from the mirror and mustered a useless growl.

He should have asked. I would have been more than happy to enlighten him.

Angrily, I snatched down the pictures of now worthless memories from my corkboard, crumpled them up and threw them into my trash can.

If he had asked, I would have told him.

_Ashley's moved in with Rocky, dude. Her nights of coming out with the girls have been radically reduced. Doesn't matter that her friend was dumped by an asshole who prefers to have someone younger and more mysterious than I could ever be._

I halted, standing in the middle of my room.

I realized the need to pinpoint the root of my unhappiness otherwise I would throw hateful thoughts in every direction. The search only resulted in my standing mutely for three or four minutes. Lifting my gaze back to the corkboard over my desk, I considered the remaining pictures keenly.

There was one of Ashley and I on the steps of the state capital building. Nothing important had taken place; we'd just been bored that day and decided to take a walk. A long walk. Our heads were drenched in sweat, our faces flushed, and our eyes shone tiredly. Our smiles, though exhausted, were genuine.

I ran my hands back through my hair so that my fingers tangled within the loose strands. Hot tears streamed down my face but instead of fighting them, I relished in the feeling. The anger hadn't been sparked by Colt or Ashley's moving in with Rocky; they were just fuel.

I was lost. I'd taken a path in life that led to an unexpected road block – I could thank my asshole of an ex for that. My eyes shut as my chest ached with unvoiced cries.

I was unsure where to go; and terrified that I'd have to overcome this obstacle on my own.


	8. Nostalgia

**Title**: The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend  
><strong>Fandom<strong>: 3 Ninjas  
><strong>Rating<strong>: T  
><strong>Summary<strong>: Remnants from throughout the years showcasing how the ninjas stole my best friend.  
><strong>AN**: Sorry for the long delay in getting this chapter up, I didn't mean for so many weeks to pass. I tried to write the conversation as a voice-over for the events that occur in this chapter. The next update will be the epilogue to this story.  
><strong>Age<strong>: 27

* * *

><p><strong>The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend<strong>

**Chapter Seven: Nostalgia**

* * *

><p>Our glasses clinked as we lounged beside a stranger's pool staring up at the stars.<p>

"Do you remember the time you, Colt, and I all got detention for 'horse playing'?"

I smiled down at the blue water.

"How can I forget that? It was the first time I'd gotten detention ever!"

"But you had fun, you know you did!"

"I can laugh about it now, let's leave it at that."

We rolled onto our backs in laughter. Feeling a slight discomfort, I reached my hand behind my head and removed the string of feathers that had been clasped on at Jo's party.

"_What about the first time Rocky asked you out on a date?"_

"_Oh, I almost passed out! I couldn't believe he'd actually done it!"_

"_I know; you called me about thirty times that day; my mom practically chased me out of the house to go talk to you in person."_

I rolled over in bed, hugging my pillow. Slowly, my eyes opened and I was greeted by the view of two large blue orbs belonging to that of a very hungry cat.

"_Remember prom?"_

"_Vividly. My date punched Rocky then got his ass kicked by Colt."_

"_Oh, maybe that's not such a happy memory."_

"_No, I know what _you_ remember about that night. And don't worry about it, Daniel got what he deserved."_

"_We also looked very beautiful that night."_

"_Yes we did."_

I poured the food into a bowl and pet my cat as she feasted. I eyed the calendar in silence before grabbing my bag and heading for the door.

"_Oh, remember how you had to sing _Hot Blooded_ and put on a very convincing dance just so Rocky, Colt, and Tum could rescue me without getting caught?"_

"_I-you were passed out! How the heck do you know about that?"_

"_Good times."_

"_Tum told you, didn't he?"_

"_Have some more wine."_

The front door of the building was locked and I was already late. Throwing my bag strap over my head and across my chest, I sprinted around to the back.

"_What about the times we would drive out to the beach instead of studying for our midterms?"_

"_Oh, now I miss those weekends. Just breathing that air and sinking by feet into that hot soft sand…"_

"_And the water was so blue!"_

Pulling out my set of keys, I unlocked the back doors and let in the caterers that had been patiently waiting outside. I didn't get a chance to wipe the sweat from my brow as immediately I was called forth for instructions.

"_Do you remember the first time Rocky told you he loved you?"_

"_Yes. It was just a few weeks after my dad passed away. You remember, I was in pretty bad shape then. I didn't talk to anybody, didn't do anything or go anywhere. He took me out one night and we parked…somewhere outside the city limits. He grabbed my hand and he told me to come back. That he loved me and didn't know what else to do to help. Of course, I couldn't hear anything else he said after hearing that."_

My watch read two-thirty and I needed to be there by three. Sprinting back out to my car, I threw my bag onto the passenger seat and dove behind the wheel. Heart blasted out my windows as I sped through the city streets.

"_What about you, Nat?"_

"_What about me?"_

"_Did you ever have that kind of moment? Where someone tells you they love you and you can just feel their sincerity so much it hurts?"_

"_Family doesn't quite count in this case, right?"_

I ran up the stairs and didn't stop until I reached the third door down the hall. Her mother, dressed in a pale lavender dress with pearls about her neck, stepped into the hall. Her watery eyes remained on her daughter a moment longer before she turned to me and smiled. As I returned the gesture, we stepped past each other and I rounded the door frame into the room.

"_Are you happy?"_

"_What?"_

"_Come on, Nat."_

Our eyes met in the mirror and I couldn't help but smile. She on the other hand, turned to face me in person and demanded why I was not yet in my dress.

"_Are you sure you want to marry him? You're not having doubts or at risk of jumping into a stranger's car and running away?"_

"_No! Yes, I'm sure I want to marry him and _no_, I'm not going to run. I love him and everything about him."_

"_Then I'm happy for you. And what you just said is all that should matter come tomorrow."_

I witnessed Rocky's face as his eyes fell upon Ashley for the first time. His expression matched hers as her mother escorted her down the aisle.

"_Do you remember that promise I made you when we were little?"_

"_Possibly."_

Everyone wanted a dance with the bride and groom which wasn't so surprising. What caught me off guard was that the first man to ask me for a dance was Mori Shitaro, Rocky's grandfather.

"_I'm going to have to tweak it a bit."_

"_Don't worry, I figured you'd get married first a long time ago."_

"_Well, regardless of this tweak, we're still obligated to live next to each other when we're old, can't breathe without a machine or walk without a cane."_

"_Ouch, painful future! I need more wine."_

Ashley smeared her slice of cake all over Rocky's mouth and chin. He just smiled and kissed her deeply so that the cake and frosting got onto her face as well.

"_Do you promise me this, Natalia Munoz?"_

"_I pinky-promise, Ashley Summers-soon-to-be-Douglass."_


	9. Epilogue

**Title**: The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend  
><strong>Fandom<strong>: 3 Ninjas  
><strong>Rating<strong>: T  
><strong>AN**: Special thanks goes to two very good friends of mine. To Denise, for providing the prompts for each chapter, I don't think my imagination for this story would be as colorful if it weren't for you. And to Melissa, for reading through each chapter and giving honest constructive criticism. I owe the selective insights of Natalie and her growth to you. Thank you to everyone who has read this story to the end and added it to their favorites and/or alerts list. I do hope that you have enjoyed this; I certainly had fun writing it. Until next time, happy reading everyone!  
><strong>Summary<strong>: Remnants from throughout the years showcasing how the ninjas stole my best friend.  
><strong>Age<strong>: 27

* * *

><p><strong>The Ninjas Stole My Best Friend<strong>

**Epilogue**

* * *

><p>I stood in the doorway, looking at the cleaned and cleared reception hall. The only sign that the wedding of my best friend had taken place was the echo of her laughter as she danced with her husband, family, and friends. Calmness settled over my chest as I realized that I had the privilege of symbolically closing a chapter of her life.<p>

They'd gone and done it after all, those ninjas. Ashley was now a Douglass and a part of their family. I couldn't help the small smile that eased its way across my face. She'd waited so long for this day to happen; I bet she was in some kind of shock as she and Rocky boarded their plane. I wasn't going to be receiving any calls this time though.

I locked the glass doors and slid the key into an envelope to return to City Hall tomorrow morning. I turned to head down the steps but hesitated when I saw someone waiting for me in the street.

Casually leaning against his motorcycle with his arms crossed and his collar loose, Colt smirked up at me; his eyes shining almost dangerously in the moonlight.

"You showed up after all," I called down while descending the steps to stand on the sidewalk in front of him. "But you missed everything."

"Actually, I was here for all of it." He freed an arm to count off on his fingers. "The walk down the aisle, the first dance, my grandfather asking _you_ to dance…"

"Ha ha, you're hilarious." I smiled despite the sarcasm in my voice. It charmed me to see the lopsided grin on his face as he slipped his hands into the pockets of his black slacks and shrugged. "What are you still doing here?"

"Waiting for you." He answered simply. "Ashley and Rocky asked me to look after you while they're away."

I stared at him. My mouth formed the beginning of words but it took a moment for anything to actually come out. "What?"

"So I was thinking," He continued, the only acknowledgement to my confusion was the hint of a smile as he spoke. "Of all the places I could take you without getting into trouble."

"Trouble?" I repeated before removing the silver heels from my feet. "Well that must have narrowed down the list to a very few places."

The corner of his mouth quirked and his eyelids lowered. Frankly, he seemed unamused by my insight. When he didn't respond right away and simply stared, I had the feeling he wanted me to apologize for that statement. I met his gaze evenly and with no intention of backing down.

Maybe it was the wine I'd had most of the evening, or the adrenaline from all of the dancing, but I could not fight the smile from spreading across my face as I stared into his eyes. I blinked, then I laughed, then I could not stop laughing. I stepped back and covered my eyes. I could feel his confusion in his silence and sincerely tried to calm myself back down.

"Okay," I breathed; my face still hidden behind my hand. "I'll let go of the implication that Ash and Rocky assigned me a babysitter and ask: where did you decide on going?"

I looked back up at him only to find that he was shaking his head.

"Trouble's going to find me anywhere I go. You're better off deciding that way it won't be my fault if anything happens." Then he smirked.

"What's going on?" There was a feeling happening that I was not so sure should be. Why were we suddenly under the obligation to go anywhere but home? I liked home. And after an entire day of a wedding event, I was pretty sure I liked my bed covers too.

Again, Colt shrugged. This time though, he didn't drop his gaze to the street. I pursed my lips together and tilted my head to stare down the road that led out of the city.

I leaned forward and whispered: "Why don't you just take me where I've never been before?" Slowly, my eyes lifted to his face. His expression, with clear eyes and parted lips, was almost unreadable. A cool helmet was suddenly between us. I had to fight back a blush of embarrassment that he'd actually caught me off guard in that moment and took the offered protection.

"Even if you were just being poetic, I'll take you up on that." He cleared his throat and turned to mount his motorcycle before revving the engine to life.

Slipping my shoes into the bag across my chest, I hopped on behind him and worked on securing the helmet over my head. "I was quoting a song," I corrected. Then, feeling brave as I loosely placed my hands on his waist and leaned into his back, I whispered: "But I mean it."


End file.
